We’re currently right in the middle of Hispanic Heritage Month! Hispanic Heritage Month runs from September 15 – October 15. Jessie wrote up a wonderful post about what Hispanic Heritage Month is and how we can celebrate it. Another great way to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month is by reading and sharing books by Latinx authors. If you’re looking for great books to share, here are a handful of great new picture books that are perfect for sharing during Hispanic Heritage Month or any time!
*All book descriptions are provided by the publisher and accessed from our Library catalog!
Carina Felina by Carmen Agra Deedy, illustrated by Henry Cole. Carina Felina is an arrogant cat with an appetite so huge that she eats everything and everyone who crosses her path as she ambles through Havana–until a small crab outsmarts her and saves the day.
Día de Muertos: A Day of the Dead Counting Book by Duncan Tonatiuh. From author-illustrator Duncan Tonatiuh comes this celebratory bilingual picture book centering on a Dia de Muertos ofrenda (Day of the Dead altar), constructed annually to honor the memory and welcome the spirit of a loved one. The book uses a counting structure, from one to ten, to focus on family members and their offerings, with a double-gatefold finale that opens to reveal the family gathered around the fully decorated ofrenda with all of their offerings.
Dreams of Green: A Three Kings’ Day Story by Mariel Jungkunz, illustrated by Monica Paola Rodriguez. It’s eleven days after Christmas and Lucía yearns to be in lush Puerto Rico celebrating Día de los Reyes with family and friends. But this year, instead of dancing and singing in the parrandas of her Puerto Rican neighborhood, she is surrounded by cold and silence in snow-blanketed Ohio. How will she ever be able to guide the Three Kings to her new home in the frosty Midwest?
La Guitarrista by Lucky Diaz, illustrated by Micah Player. When Canta finds a guitar in the trash, she is one step closer to becoming a rock star. Even though the guitar is broken and she doesn’t know how to play, nothing can stop Canta from going after her dreams!
Jovita Wore Pants: The Story of a Mexican Freedom Fighter by Aida Salazar, illustrated by Molly Mendoza. Jovita didn’t want to cook and clean like her sisters, and she especially didn’t want to wear the skirts her abuela gave her. She wanted to race her brothers and climb the tallest mesquite trees in Rancho Palos Blancos, ride horses, and wear pants! When her father and brothers joined the Cristeros War to fight for the right to practice religion, she wanted to help. She wasn’t allowed to fight, but that didn’t stop her from observing how her father strategized and familiarizing herself with the terrain. When tragedy struck, she did the only thing that felt right to her–cut her hair, donned a pair of pants, and continued the fight, commanding a battalion who followed her without question. Jovita Wore Pants is the story of a trailblazing revolutionary who fought for her freedom, told by her great niece, bestselling author Aida Salazar.
Papá’s Magical Water-Jug Clock by Jesús Trejo, illustrated by Eliza Kinkz. Little Jesús is excited to spend a Saturday with his landscaper Papá at the “family business.” He loves Papá’s cool truck and all the tools he gets to use. Papá even puts him in charge of the magical water jug, which is also a clock! When it’s empty, Papá explains, the workday will be done. It’s a big job, and Jesús wants to do it right. But he just can’t help giving water to an array of thirsty animals–a dog in a sweater, some very old cats, and a flock of peacocks. Before he knows it, the magical water jug is empty –but the workday’s not over yet! Will Jesús be fired?! Or is the jug not really magical after all?
Remembering by Xelena González, illustrated by Adriana M. Garcia. On Día de los Muertos, a family prepares an ofrenda for their favorite furry family member, remembering all the ways that their beloved pet brought love and comfort to their lives.
¡Vamos! Let’s Go Read! by Raúl the Third. Little Lobo and his friends are excited for the out-of-this-world book festival that the Guadalupian Library hosts every year! Everyone has a special book they’re looking for, but there’s so much to see and do first!
Water Day by Margarita Engle, illustrated by Olivia Sua. A girl and her community celebrate the arrival of the water man when he comes on his weekly visit to distribute water to a Cuban village.
